We are all made up of different parts, and making sense of these parts can often be overwhelming. We may find ourselves being pulled in multiple directions, one part may be trying to plan ahead, the other may be trying to keep us safe in the moment, another may want us to completely give up. Acts of Self is an integrative meta-framework developed by psychotherapist Danny Morley to help people understand these inner parts and how they work together. Rather than seeing our reactions as flaws, it invites curiosity and compassion toward each “Act”, recognising that every part has a story and a purpose. Each Act represents a different part of our mind, rooted in psychological and psychotherapeutic theory: memory, emotion, cognition, protection, values or meaning, amongst others. By getting to know these parts and how they interact, we can better understand why we think, feel, and behave the way we do. Acts of Self bridges psychology and psychotherapy, offering a simple yet powerful way to explore the self, helping you understand not just what you feel, but who inside you is feeling it. Here is some background:

Why did I create this?
I created Acts of Self initially to help me understand my clients. Being an integrative therapist I am rooted in blending together CBT, Attachment theory and Person-Centred Approach. Alongside these I have also developed interests in Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Existential theory and also Compassion Focussed Therapy too. As an integrative therapist, I wanted a simple way to bring these ideas together in a way both I and my clients could understand. Whilst all these approaches are different, they also overlap too. An example is the idea of self-actualisation in PCA and how this may be linked to values in ACT – the idea of a desire to move forwards with something that is important to us and allows us to grow. They are loose overlaps, and the theories themselves are important and distinct, but in my mind it started to make sense to group some of these elements together.

Alongside this I have also come from a psychology background, and have covered topics around cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology and biopsychology amongst other issues like the affects of trauma and individual differences. Learning about these allowed me to understand how we are influenced by many things but also how limited and imperfect we are! Our memories and attention in particular are nowhere near as good as we like to believe. I wanted to incorporate some of these ideas as they very much fit into some of these psychotherapy theories too. Sometimes for clients it can be useful for them to understand that they are not meant to be perfect, because we are not perfectly designed.

Another motivation is that I work (not exclusively) with quite unique client groups. Firstly, with eating disorders which can feel very much like multiple parts pulling against each other and it can feel like a struggle trying to make sense of it all. When someone is in the midst of an eating disorder they often can’t see the bigger picture, and this framework allows them to zoom out and see these parts at play. One part may be telling themselves they are not good enough, the other may be trying to keep themselves safe by keeping control, the other part wants to give up, another part is holding onto past trauma….another part has lost its true values. These are all at play and being able to visualise this in plain English as opposed to scientific jargon is powerful. Other areas I specialise in are ADHD - neurodiverse brains tend to like creative approaches and a clear structure. Also with athletes who often come from competitive environments where mental health literacy is less prominent and individuals find it more difficult to be vulnerable. This framework can aid with these aspects too.

It isn’t designed to be a perfect theory or system that can magically fit everything into, but it is creative and flexible enough to be applied to almost anybody. It is also not designed to replace the theories it has been influenced by, or indeed any other valuable type of therapy but it is an integrative lens clients and therapists can use alongside these approaches. Rather than it being a distraction from the therapeutic relationship, I believe this can be used to strengthen the therapeutic relationship.

These are the eight Acts of Self — the inner voices and roles that shape how we think, feel, and respond…

THE HISTORIAN

The Historian is the keeper of our past — your memories, experiences and the emotions attached to them. Within it also lives your inner child, the innocent and tender part of you that still carries the sensations, hopes and fears from the earliest chapters of your life.

Function:

This Act shapes how you remember and interpret the past. It helps you learn, empathise, and stay connected to what has mattered most — but when it becomes overwhelmed, the same memories that once protected you can begin to define or limit you. Old stories can play on repeat, especially when something in the present echoes an earlier painful experience.

THE AUTHOR

The Author is the meaning-maker and narrative writer of your world. We make sense of who we are and the world around us by using labels and stories. We carry these narratives with us, regardless of how fair or unfair they may logically be.

Function:

This Act helps you interpret experience and find coherence in a chaotic world. When balanced, it can offer self-understanding, purpose, and hope. But when influenced by fear, shame, or old beliefs, the Author can become critical, pessimistic, or rigid — writing stories that keep you small or stuck. In therapy, we often meet an Author who’s doing its best to protect you with the only story it knows.

THE GUARDIAN

The Guardian is your inner protector — the part that keeps you safe, anticipates threat, and maintains stability when life feels uncertain. It watches over you, often quietly, ensuring boundaries are in place and danger is avoided.

Function:

This Act develops from your earliest experiences of safety and care. When balanced, it helps you feel grounded, cautious in healthy ways, and capable of self-soothing. But when it becomes overprotective, it can tip into control — tightening around fear, avoiding risk, or shutting down vulnerability. The Guardian’s intention is good: to keep you safe. The challenge is helping it learn the difference between real danger and perceived danger, and gently learning to be okay with not always being in control.

THE REBEL

The Rebel is your inner disruptor — the part that refuses to be silenced, confined, or controlled. It carries the energy of protest and change, pushing back when something feels unjust, stagnant, or restrictive. Where the Guardian protects through caution, the Rebel protects through defiance.

Function:

This Act is vital for autonomy and authenticity. It ensures your individuality isn’t lost to compliance or fear. When balanced, it fuels creativity, courage, and progress. But when overwhelmed, it can become impulsive, reactive, or self-sabotaging — lashing out at perceived control, even when safety or support is being offered. Often, the Rebel emerges from past experiences of powerlessness, carrying unexpressed anger that once had nowhere safe to go.

THE PERSONA

The Persona is how you meet the world. It includes both the masks you wear and the person you truly are beneath them. This Act allows you to express yourself, form connections, and show different sides of your personality depending on the setting.

Function:

The Persona is the bridge between your inner world and outer life. It helps you communicate, belong, and adapt — finding ways to show up that feel safe yet true. When balanced, it allows flexibility: you can be professional, confident, funny, or sensitive without losing your sense of self. When it becomes over-shaped by expectation or fear, you may begin to live as a performance, maybe forgetting who you truly are.

THE GUIDE

The Guide represents your inner compass — the part of you that seeks direction, purpose, and meaning. It connects you to your values and helps you decide what kind of person you want to be. The Guide doesn’t shout; it quietly points you toward what feels right, even when that path is uncertain or difficult.

Function:

This Act translates your beliefs and experiences into a sense of direction. It helps you make choices that align with integrity rather than impulse, and it reminds you of what truly matters when life feels chaotic. When balanced, it offers clarity and grounded motivation. When disconnected, you may feel lost, apathetic, or pulled in conflicting directions — living reactively rather than intentionally.

THE PHILOSOPHER

The Philosopher is concerned with the deep existential questions such as - "why are we here?". It is the part of you that reflects, questions, and searches for meaning beyond the day-to-day. It wonders about existence, purpose, and what it all means. While the Guide focuses on your purpose, the Philosopher reflects on our purpose as human beings.

Function:

The Philosopher helps you make sense of suffering, understand your place in the world, and hold paradox without rushing to fix it. When balanced, it brings wisdom and perspective; when overactive, it can spiral into rumination or existential anxiety. This Act is where curiosity meets acceptance — the understanding that not every question needs an answer, but every answer can deepen understanding.

THE BODY

The Body is the stage on which all the Acts perform — the living foundation of your emotional and psychological world. It holds sensations, tension, memory, and instinct. Long before words or thoughts, the Body feels. It tells the truth, even when the mind isn’t ready to listen.

Function:

This Act connects you to the present moment and translates emotion into sensation — a tight chest, a heavy stomach, a racing heart. It is both a messenger and a container, showing you what you’ve absorbed and what needs expression. When balanced, it grounds and regulates you; when disconnected, you may feel detached, anxious, or numb. The Body doesn’t communicate in sentences — it speaks through rhythm, breath, and movement. Learning its language is often where healing begins.

The Process
For the client it isn’t about learning all this and trying to keep this in their mind every session but it can be valuable to slowly introduce them to each ‘Act’. The way I like to visualise this is by imagining yourself sat in a theatre looking at a stage. When we are living mindlessly as many of us do from time to time, it is similar to watching a play with the curtain down. We know something is going on because we can hear it but we crucially we can’t see or make sense of it. When we start to reflect by going to therapy, by journaling, by practising mindfulness or even just taking out of our day to stop and think – the curtain raises and we can start to see the performance in front of us.

In session we may begin to gently identify some of the key Acts, maybe starting with the Historian for example who is responsible for logging all the data related to our past. We can then introduce the Author to get them to understand the stories they are creating about themselves and the world from that data. We could then maybe look at the Guardian and Rebel to see what happens when the alarm bells are sounding. This should all come naturally in session - past traumas, safety responses and negative thoughts are at the core of most therapy sessions.

Over time we can then begin to follow a process:

1) Identify (“Who is on stage right now? Who is acting now?) – serves to increase awareness

2) Understand (“Why is this Act here?” “What are they doing?”) – serves to increase dialogue

3) Collaborate (“How can these Acts work together?” “What is needed for them to work in harmony?”) – serves to create balance and increase flexibility

4) Direct (“How can we put this into action” “What would this look like in the real world?”) - serves to strengthen self-leadership

5) Reflect (“What have I learned from this performance?” “What can I do to maintain this?) - serves to maintain awareness and growth

Back to number 1.

Each of these Acts has its own voice, rhythm, and reason for being. None are good or bad — they simply carry the lessons and instincts that have helped us survive, connect, and grow. When one Act takes over, life can start to feel out of balance, but when they learn to listen to each other, something remarkable happens: we begin to feel more whole. Acts of Self isn’t about changing who you are; it’s about understanding the many parts that already make you human. Through awareness and compassion, these Acts can move in harmony — allowing you to live with greater clarity, authenticity, and peace within yourself.

If you’d like to explore your own Acts of Self, therapy with me offers a space to do just that — gently, at your own pace, and with curiosity rather than judgment. Together we can begin to understand which parts of you are leading, which feel unheard, and how they can work together in balance again.